TAPS RUN AND REMEMBER TEAM HONORS OUR FALLEN MILITARY ON SUNDAY AT THE VIRGINIA BEACH ROCK ‘N’ ROLL HALF MARATHON
Surviving Families & Supporters Run to Honor Our Fallen Military, Raise Awareness and Funds for TAPS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – August 31, 2012
VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - For a special group of runners participating in the Virginia Beach Rock ‘N’ Roll Half Marathon on Sunday, September 2, every step is laced with memories and honors those who’ve paid the ultimate price in service to country.
Many of the runners are family members of our fallen military heroes. The funds raised by the runners will help the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS), the national organization that has provided comfort and care to more than 35,000 people grieving the deaths of America’s fallen military heroes and caregivers assisting them since 1994.
Spectators on the course are encouraged to cheer for the TAPS runners, who wear distinctive red, white, and blue singlets and carry photos of the fallen service members they run to remember on the backs of their shirts.
Thirteen people will run as the “In Blake’s Honor” team in memory of their friend and comrade, Navy Seal Blake McLendon, who died September 21, 2010 in a UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter crash during combat operations in the Afghanistan. McLendon’s parents, David and Mary-Ann, have attended a TAPS regional seminar and the TAPS Parent Retreat.
Team Super 8 will run in memory of the Navy Seal Team Six members who died on August 6, 2011 when their helicopter was shot down in Afghanistan. One of the runners is also running to honor Bart, the working military K-9 who died in the crash.
Another group will run as “Team Hawkeye” in memory of a group of fallen naval aviators. They are running to honor and remember Navy Lieutenant Miroslav “Steven” Zilberman, Navy Lieutenant Jerry Smith, Navy Lieutenant Cameron Hall and Navy Lieutenant Ryan Betton.
Kira Lynn Parrish, will run in memory of Army Sergeant First Class Johnathan B. McCain, 38, who died in Afghanistan on November 13, 2011. Parrish was a TAPS Good Grief Camp mentor over Memorial Day Weekend for McCain’s daughter. Parrish also serves in the military.
Marcus Galloway, 14, of Virginia Beach, Va. will run in memory of his brother-in-law, Army Staff Sgt. David Staats, who died on December 16, 2006 in Iraq. Marcus is also honoring his late brother-in-law’s battle buddies, Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Steven Daugherty, who was killed in Iraq in July 2007, and Army Staff Sgt. Michael Hosey, who was killed September 17, 2011.
TAPS Run and Remember Team director, Marie Campbell, will run to remember her late husband Air Force Sergeant Dee Campbell, who died in 1996 when a terrorist bomb took the lives of 19 airmen at the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia. Campbell founded the team in 2000 when she ran the Marine Corps Marathon with another military widow. She organizes hundreds of runners around the nation annually to run in memory of our fallen heroes.
More information about the race is available at http://runrocknroll.competitor.com/virginia-beach
About the TAPS Run & Remember Team
The TAPS “Run and Remember” team fields teams in dozens of races nationwide year round who run to honor and remember our fallen military while raising support for TAPS. Many of the runners are family members of the fallen and some are community supporters who care. Get more information about upcoming races and team activities at www.taps.org under Get Involved, Run. More than 500 runners will participate in the Marine Corps Marathon in October 2012.
About TAPS
Since its founding in 1994 by bereaved military families, TAPS has helped more than 35,000 grieving military family members and their caregivers. TAPS provides peer-based emotional support, grief and trauma resources, seminars for adults, Good Grief Camps for children, connections to community-based care, casualty casework assistance, and a 24/7 resource and information help line for all who have been affected by a death in the Armed Forces. Services are provided free of charge. For more information go to www.taps.org or call the toll-free resource and information help line at 800.959.TAPS (8277).
Media Contact for TAPS: Ami Neiberger-Miller, office 202.588.8277, ami@taps.org
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